Dungannon Start Season With Sevens Win

AIB League Division 1B side Dungannon got their season off to a winning start by picking up some silverware at the 35th Annual Ophir Sevens tournament last weekend.

The Ophir Sevens Tournament has been held annually since 1974 and attracts 12 clubs all competing for the Will Totten Memorial trophy over the course of the afternoon, it is the starting event for the new season.

Sixteen of these tries were converted, 'Gannon only conceded four tries, two of which were converted. UUC were runners-up in Section 1.

Last year's winners Instonians were the runners-up in Section 2 and Queen's University topped the section.

Dungannon played Instonians in their semi-final which they convincingly won 33-7, with two converted tries each from Chris Henderson and Colm Heaney and one unconverted try from Ray Maguire.

Queen's defeated UUC in their semi-final match.

Dungannon played Queen's in the final which again they won convincingly 31-12, thanks to converted tries from Chris Henderson, Mark Riddell and Ray Maguire and two unconverted tries from Paul Heaney and Mark Riddell.

Colm Heaney received the man-of-the-match award from the Mayor of Newtownabbey.

Dungannon team sponsor, Terry Jackson of Kukri Sportswear, said that he was pleased to see the side perform so efficiently at the start of a season and hopes it transpires into the 15-a-side game.

Newly-appointed Ireland Women's captain Ciara Griffin talks about attending her first Women's Six Nations launch and her pride at leading her country into the tournament, which kicks off with a trip to Toulouse next week to face France.

Speaking to Irish Rugby TV in Dubai, IRFU referee Joy Neville said she was 'over the moon and very proud' to receive the World Rugby Referee of the Year award last Sunday. She is in Dubai to referee in the opening round of the World Sevens Series this week, and is also looking forward to her Challenge Cup refereeing debut on Friday, December 15 (Bordeaux-Bègles v Enisei-STM).

First half tries from Darren Sweetnam, Jack Conan and Dave Kearney laid the foundations for Ireland's 23-20 win over Fiji in the second game of the GUINNESS Series at the Aviva Stadium. Check out the match highlights on Irish Rugby TV.

Tries from Andrew Conway, Rhys Ruddock, Rob Herring and Jacob Stockdale, and a man-of-the-match performance from Jonathan Sexton, gave Ireland a record 38-3 win against South Africa in the opening game of the GUINNESS Series. Check out the match highlights.

Who we are is how we play. Fancy seeing more of how we all belong to the #TeamOfUs? Check out the extended version of the new ad from Vodafone Ireland featuring Conor Murray, Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong and Tiernan O'Halloran.

They may have left the island but they've never really left Ireland behind. The Irish diaspora of 70 million people around the world are ready to 'arise and go now', ready for the world, ready for a tournament like no other. Bob Geldof reads from 'The Lake Isle At Innisfree' by WB Yeats.

The ChildFund 'Pass It Back' Belfast Cup brought together girls from Vietnam, the Philippines and Laos with players from across Ulster to celebrate the power of sport and highlight how rugby is developing in Asia.

Monday was community legacy day at Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 as the IRFU's 'Spirit of Rugby' programme brought together some local disability rugby players from DLSP Eagles, Seapoint Dragons and Westmanstown Wasps, and a number of WRWC players and coaches from the competing nations, for a fun-filled coaching/training session and Tag rugby games.

Monday was a momentous day for the Ireland Women's camp as the 28-strong squad was revealed for the Women's Rugby World Cup on home soil. Head coach Tom Tierney and captain Niamh Briggs spoke to the press at the announcement in UCD.

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne spoke to Irish Rugby TV about the Union's 2016/17 Annual Report, which includes increased investment in Women's rugby and addresses the challenges of funding for the game in Ireland.

The launch of a commemorative stamp to mark the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland was a special day for Women's rugby, team captain Niamh Briggs and her family. We spoke to her and her dad Mike at the GPO.

Marie Louise Reilly joined her Ireland team-mates Nora Stapleton and Lindsay Peat at a recent Dublin City Council event in support of the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. Reilly, who works as a DCC Sports Officer, said: "The team are coming together really well, we're working hard and hopefully August will be really memorable not just for us but for the whole country."

Fiona Coghlan, Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 Ambassador and Chair of the Dublin City Sports and Wellbeing Partnership, speaks about Dublin City Council's support of the tournament in August and the momentum and excitement building in the capital and around the four provinces for WRWC 2017.